Mobile Operating Theatre

Mobile Operating Theatre Launched!

Fibreglass Developments Limited is proud to have been involved in the design and manufacture of fibreglass components for the amazing new mobile operating theatre produced for Mobile Medical Technology Ltd based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The building of the theatre was co-ordinated by Rotorua company Mills Tui Ltd, and the brief was to provide the customer with a product that will not only meet their needs, but be a benchmark for the future!

FDL's role was to design and produce the truck and trailer fronts, and supply lightweight GRP panels for construction of the trailer unit. We were provided with this concept drawing, and a Freightliner truck to work from - the rest was up to us! Starting work on the project in late September, everything had to be ready for us to install by the 19th of November - a very strict deadline to work to!

We commissioned Jurgen Brand of Designbrand in Wellington to do the design work, and he came up with a range of concept sketches based on the existing Freightliner to work from. Some constraints which limited the design were having to retain the original truck, replacing only the engine access hatch and down from the front bumpers.

The next stage was to do a rig-up of the suggested design to give an idea of how the finished truck might look. This was done using wood strips, card and tape

Work then began on manufacturing the plug. This was initially carved from foam, and a lot of time was put in here to fine tune the design and alter it where necessary.

A mould was then made from the plug, and the fibreglass components produced. These were test-fitted to a Freightliner unit in our factory before shipping to Rotorua for our team to do the final installation.

The finished Operating Theatre unit on display at its launch in Rotorua on November 23, 2001

Fibreglass Developments Ltd

25-29 Mahinui Street, PO Box 391, Feilding,

New Zealand.

Telephone: +64 6 323 0960 Fax: +64 6 323 0973 Email: info@composites.co.nz